Refrigerating apparatus



July 26, 1932.` E, 1 AHRENS 1,868,961

REFR IGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 24, 1929 "kuur IE-@ INVE'NTO Z l Y6m,

ATTORNEY Patented July 26, 19@

UNITED sTATEs PATE-.NT OFFICE EDWIN J'. AHRENS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO,ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, -TO BUEBEN ELI OTTENHEIMER, OFBALTIMORE,

BEFBIGERATING APPARATUS Application led August 24, 1929. Serial No.388,138..

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerating apparatus. Oneof its objects is to provide improved .means to render the contents lofrefrigerated show-cases clearly visible from the exterior and preventdeposits of dust or moisture upon the transparent panels thereof.Another object is to provide for one or more chambers in communicationwith the spaces between the double transparent walled sections of the`walled sectlons of a refrigerated show-case a chamber in communicationwith a plurality of spaces between said plural walls so arranged as tocause an automatic circulation from one of said spaces through saidchamber into another of said spaces, a dehydrating substance in saidchamber in the path of said circulation, and preferably means to removeand replace said dehydrating substance if and when required.My"invention also comprisescertain details of form and arrangement, andcombination of components, all of which will be fully set forth "in thedescription of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Flg. 1 1s a central vertical section through a refrigerated show-caseembodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a sectional detailtaken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detachable container for a'dehydratingsubstance.-

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l, illustratin a modification.

ig. 5-is a front view of a portion of the ap aratus shown in-Fig. 4.

t is desirable to employ refrigerated showcases for the display ofmeats,candies, and other goods requiring refrigeration, and in order toprevent excessive refrigeration losses,

it is requisite'to employ two or more glass panels with interposedsealed air spaces to' act asl insulating' spaces. In practice thesesealed air spaces are not entirely free from moisture, and are notentirely free fromdust,

and upon the application of refrigerated air to the inside transparentpanel and relatively much warmer air to the outside panel, acondensation of moisture or combined moisture and dust is liable tooccur locally so as to materially obscure .vision through thetransparentwall sections of the refrigerated showcase, and to alsomaterially detract from the appearanceof the show-case.` Wherea'dehydrating substance is sealed into the spares between thetransparent wall sections, if a leakage of moisture occurs, an abnormalaccumulation of moisture in the leaking space is liable to occur,necessitating removal 'of the panels and repairs.

In order to obviate these various difficulties, I provide either witheach space between transparent panels, or with each group of s aces, achamber having communication t rough one or more conduits with saidspace, l

or with the respective spaces of a group, so arranged as to cause anatural or automatic draft under iniluenceof the material differences intem erature from said chamber to and from said space, or from one of thespaces of a group through said chamber and into another of said spaces.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one i embodiment of my invention,in which 15 re resents the framework of a show-case. e front of theshow-case is illustrated as comprising three transparent panels, 16, 17,and 18, set in the framework 15 'andspaced apart by means of partingstrip 19, and 20, to form arm chambers 21 and 22, which are sealed oft'from communication with the exterior or interior of the casing byvarnishng vthe joints or similar sealing means. A transparent panel 23is mounted in the top of the casing 15. A door 24 is hinged at 25 andlatched 'at 26, and provided with two glass panels 27 and 28, and aninterposedV air space 29. If desired two or more panels with interposedair spaces may be emp oyed in place of the single panel`23 at the top ofthe casing. The ends ofthe casing are preferably provided with two ormore transparent panels with interposed air spaces similar to thoseshown at the front of the casing. A chamber 30 is thus provided withinthe casing to hold and display the goods to be vended. The door 24 givesaccess to the chamber 30 to introduce and remove the goods. Arefrigerating coil 31, through which cold brine or gas is circulated,serves to keep the chamber 30 and its contents refrigerated to anydesired extent. The air spaces between the transparent panels act asheat insulating members, and reduce the refrigerating losses, while atthe same time enabling the goods within the chamber 30 to be observedfrom the exterior of the casing.

The lower sections of the parting strips 19 are provided each preferablywith two or more perforations 32, and the parting strips 20, preferablywith two or more perforations 33. Beneath the parting strips 19 and 2Ois placed a fine mesh wire screen 34 extending beneath the perforations32 and 33. Located in the wall of the casing 15 is a chamber 37 closedby means of a detachable lid or plate 35, located either in the front orrear face of the wall of the casing 15. A tray or container 36 islocated detachably in the chamber 37 and serves to hold a dehydratingsubstance, such as calcium chloride. Interposed between the plate 35 andthe adjacent wall of the container 36 is a body 39 of heat insulatingmaterial, sheet cork, for instance. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plate35 is held in place by means of a series of screws 38. Ports 40 leaddownwardly from the perforations 32 and screen 34 to the chamber 37.Ports 41 lead downwardly from the perforations 33 and screen 34 to thechamber 37.

Since the temperature to which the panel 18 is exposed is much lowerthan the temperature to which the panel 16 is exposed, the air in thelspace 22 is cooled below the temperature in the space 21, and the airin space 21 is lower than the temperature of the air outside of thepanel 16. Also the application of low temperatures from the chamber 30to the panel 18 causes cool air currents to flow downwardly along theface of the panel 18 within the space 22. and counter currents to Howupwardly within space 22 along the face of panel 17 and other placeswherever the air is warmer than at the face of the panel 18. In asimilar manner air currents are set up within the space 21 downwardlywhere low temperatures exist, along the face of panel 17, and upwardlyalong the face of panel 16, for instance. Similar air currents are setup within the air space 29 and at the ends of the casing.

It is of minor importance to keep the space 29 free from moisture as itis not directly in the View of customers, and is not used by customersto view the contents of chamber 30. The transparent panels and airspaces at the ends of the show-case are preferably but not necessarilydehydrated as described for the front panels and air spaces, as thefront panels are chiefly in View and chiefly employed by customers toview the contents of chamber 30.

The air within the air spaces such as 21 and 22 contains a certainamount of moisture, and the moisture and dust tend under the influenceof refrigeration within the chamber 30 to deposit upon the faces of thepanels such as 16, 17, and 18, and to reduce their transparency, and theability of customers to see the goods within the chamber 30 through saidpanels and to materially detract from the appearance of the show-case.

By connecting the spaces such as 21 and 22 by means of ports such as 32and 33 with thechamber 37, there are formed connecting channels whichserve both to connect the A'chamber 37 with the space 21 so as toprovide for a circulation of air from space 21 to and from the chamber37, and also to provide for an air circulation from space 22, where aplurality of air spaces are employed to and from the chamber 37, andalso where a plurality of air spaces are employed to provide an aircirculation through the chamber 37 to and fro from air space 21 to airspace 22. The container 36 and its contents comprising a dehydratingsubstance being located in chamber 37 in the path of air currentsflowing through chamber 37 to and from the air spaces, enables andinsures the continuous removal of any moisture from the air sealedwithin the air space or spaces and communieating chamber 37, therebycausing the dust to settle out by gravity and the panels to continue ina clean transparent condition as when first assembled. At intervals ofsix months to a year, or more often in humid localities, the lid 35 andinsulation 39 may be removed and the container 36 removed and cleanedand its dehydrating contents renewed, after which the container 36 isreplaced and the chamber 37 sealed by replacing the insulation 39 andthe lid 35. In the modification Figs. 4 and 5 a lid 52 corresponding tothe lid 35 of Fig. 1 is detachably held in place by means of a latch bar53 hinged at 54 and latched to the casing 15 at 55. A hand lever 56 ispivotally attached to the middle portion of the bar 53 and provided withan eccentric 57 to bear upon and hold the plate 52 in place, and at thesame time provide a means adapted to more quickly detach and replace thelid 52 than the screws shown in Fig. 1.

It is impossible without excessive expense to entirely or completelyseal air within the spaces so as to prevent introduction of moisturetherein from time to time, and the means herein 4Shown and describedprovides for an pearance, and provides for renewal of the dehydratingmaterial all at a minimum of attention and expense.

The apparatus herein shown and described is capable of considerablemodification within the scope of the claims without departing from thespirit of my invention.

What I claim is: n 1. In a refrigerated show-case a casing enclosing arefrigerated chamber, a window to display the contents of saidrefrigerated chamber comprising a plurality of transparent panelsdelining an interposed substantially sealed air space, a chambercontaining Y' a dehydrating substance located in the wall of said casinghaving a port leading therefrom to said substantially sealed air spacesand an-entrance from one face of the casing Wall, a lid detachablyattached to the face of said casing t-o close the entrance to saiddehydrating chamber and readily releasable lever mechanism operable tohold said lid detachably in place, the port leading from said air spaceto said dehydrating chamber being of sufficient capacity to maintain acirculation of air to and fro from said air space to said dehydratingchamber.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, a window frame,.a plurality of spacedvpanes mounted in said frame to provide space between said panes, stripsspacing said'panels from each other, a dehydrating chamber located inthe wall of said casing, ports communicating with the spaces betweensaid panels and the dehydrating chamber, a removable tray in saiddehydrating chamber, a moisture absorbing medium located within saidtray, said dehydrating chamber having a door communicating therewith,means comprising a layer of heat insulated material located between saiddoor and said tray for preventing the entrance of heated air to the saidchamber and alatch on said door for holding the same in readilyreleasable position said latch having means for tightly holding saiddoor` against said casing.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus, a window frame, a plurality of spacedpanes mounted in said Aframe to provide space between said panes, stripsspacing said panels from each other, a dehydrating chamber located inthe wall of said casing, ports communicating with the species betweensaid panels and the dehydrating chamber, a removable tray in saiddehydrating chamber, a moisture absorbing medium located within saidtray, said dehydrating chamber having a door communicating therewith,means comprising a layer of heat insulated material located between saiddoor and said tray for preventing the entrance of heated air to the saidchamber and a latch on said door `for holdin the same in readilyreleasable position said atch having means for tightly holding said dooragainst said casing including a cam portion movable against said door.

In testimony whereof I have' aixed my signature.

EDWIN J. AHRENS.

